Chapter 350 - Your Problem Is Mine Too
"Wow! Wait - wait, how about we just hang out outside? My landlady doesn't allow male guests after 8 PM," Lisa said firmly.
"Okay, where to? The last cafe?" Rangga replied casually.
"Wait a minute, I'll change clothes for a moment. I'll go down soon!"
In a hurry, Lisa packed her cellphone and wallet into a tote bag. She changed her nightgown with a t-shirt and jacket, not forgetting her jeans. Lisa didn't have much time to put on makeup so she just combed her hair and tied it up.
With hurried steps, Lisa locked the door to the boarding house and then went down to the ground floor. She locked the gate then met Rangga in front of it.
"Wow, relax. I'm not in a rush either," Rangga said casually. He smiled his signature sweet smile.
"How can I relax? I don't want to wake up my landlady and other residents near my boarding house. If they found out I brought a boy here, my name would never leave their mouth," Lisa protested while grabbing the man's arm and walking to Rangga's car.
***
Arriving at the cafe they had previously visited, Rangga ordered hot black coffee and Lisa a warm latte as usual. The two of them chose their favorite seats outside the cafe building so Rangga could smoke while sipping the warm, fragrant black coffee.
The man pulled out a chair and then dropped his body on it. He shuffled from the chair, took out a cigarette holder complete with a lighter. He pulled out the ashtray, opened the cigarette box and took out one of the many rows.
Rangga lit the match, burned the tip while sucking the base deeply. The smoke rising from the sticks was blown away until it hit Lisa's face.
"Duh! Blow it the other way! It got into my face!" Lisa protested irritably.
Rangga chuckled. "Hehe, sorry. So, what do you want to say?"
"I'm really confused about where to start. What if we just eat first? I will tell you later," Lisa said.
Rangga shook his head and said, "I've already eaten. How about you just relax? No need to be tense. I have the whole day to listen to your story."
"Ugh but I don't have time. I need to go back to work tomorrow. Huh, I'm really annoyed…" Lisa complained, sighing.
"What if I just ask it then? What did that bastard Johan do to you?"
Rangga's question just now seemed to turn into a spear that stabbed Lisa's chest that she had difficulty speaking. Her tongue suddenly went out. It was as if some magic prevented her from speaking. Lisa was still not sure if her decision to ask Rangga for help was a wise one.
The problem was, she still had a sense that she couldn't word out her story to him. She was afraid that the man's old feeling would return by the time she talked to him.
Lisa didn't want that to happen. It should be enough for the two to be just childhood friends, nothing more!
It took a while for her to speak in front of the curly haired man.
While waiting for the story, Rangga sipped his steaming hot black coffee. He sighed and then said, "It's crazy that I haven't had a coffee for a long time."
Finally, Lisa was able to speak up. "So… Johan seems to be deliberately tricking me so that I will be punished by my boss. I think he did it because he had a grudge against me for rejecting his love..."
Rangga frowned, the smile on his lips looked a bit sad when he heard Lisa's story just now. "Johan tricked you because you didn't accept his love? Ha ha ha ha! How come?!! That was so fucking childish! Maaaan…."
Then he smoked his cigarette while holding back laughter.
"Right! I swear he's so damn weird. I even thought that he had some kind of a mental illness! Johan deliberately changed my file so that the manager scolded me all out. And to mention it again, the manager didn't believe what I was saying. He thought I was the one who accused Johan when it was the other way around!"
Lisa told the story with rage. She occasionally pounded the table, showing her annoyance before Rangga's eyes.
"Then what do you want me to do?" Rangga asked briefly and clearly. The man sipped his coffee again, then sucked the cigarette in between his middle and index fingers deeply.
"I just want this problem to be resolved and it doesn't drag on! I don't care if he approaches me with work matters, as long as he stays professional then I'll treat him the same. I don't know how to do it but I want Johan to admit to my manager that he's guilty, and that he was deliberately harassing me!"
Rangga nodded, he blew nicotine smoke from his nose. "Then?"
"I also want to show my manager that Johan is not as good as he thinks! Johan is not a good guy, behind his exemplary employee title, Johan is a rotten pervert! I also want to tell my manager that Johan almost raped me!" Lisa replied irritably. A fire flared from behind her eyes.
Rangga nodded again. "And what do I have to do with it?"
"Well, since I don't have any evidence to support the last one where Johan had almost raped me in a quiet alley, you're the one who can help me. You were my eye witness at that time."
Rangga smoked his cigarette until there was a little left. "Then what's the problem? Can't you just talk to your manager yourself?"
"The problem is I have tried to convince my manager but he doesn't believe me! I need someone else who can testify in front of him, and it's you!"
Rangga rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He was looking for a solution to free Lisa from the problem that entangled her in the office. "Okay, just leave this to me. You don't need to worry. I can make him admit his mistakes in front of your manager."
Lisa was surprised, she didn't think Rangga would give such an easy answer. "Are you really sure you can make this bastard Johan admit his mistake?"
"Yes, I can't guarantee it, but I can try," Rangga said, looking relaxed and calm. He crossed his two long legs while lighting a second cigarette.
"Really... I don't force you to help me anyway. It's just that I'm really stuck and I don't know who else to ask for help. This is also my business, I'm even ready to resign myself. If Johan's problem has no end, I'll make sure my resignation letter will be on my manager's desk tomorrow," Lisa said softly. Her eyes were filled with sadness.
"Lisa, listen to me. Your problem is my problem too. As long as I can help you, I'll do my best." Rangga replied earnestly.
"I understand that you don't want to resign from your new office, so try to not mess with that bastard Johanfor now. I'm going to make that jerk guy pay for the mistakes he made to you," he added, convincing Lisa not to think about the problem.
"Rangga, thank you very much. You've always helped me," Lisa said sincerely.
"Tsk.. No need to hesitate with me. I'm your friend, okay!"